The Outline of the Song of Songs

Paying attention to literary clues

The term “Song” in the title “Song of Songs” conveys the notion of a singular document, a unified literary piece. It is one song from Solomon. When artists compose music or write lyrics, you imagine forethought and design going into their work, and so we should assume the same for Solomon. Here is a wise king and a composer of proverbs and lyrics (1 Kgs. 4:32). He would no doubt give careful thought to the arrangement of what would be his song of songs.

Observing a writing’s literary design can prove incredibly helpful for interpretation. We will find that this is true for the Song of Songs.

Some scholars have discerned a chiastic arrangement to the Song, and I think they’re right. The number of suggested divisions differ. While the divisions could be as many as seven, I think a fivefold division is strong and clear. I want to lay out the five parts and then make seven observations about why the divisions appear where they do.